Environmental Policies of Turkey

  Turkey’s government began stepping up its environmental actions in the early 1980s and has only accelerated its embrace of laws and regulations designed to protect the environment. The country’s environmental stance received a major boost when it began signing onto environmental agreements as part of the European Union.

  A major Turkish policy that includes elements of environmental protection is the country’s Tenth Development Plan (2014-2018). At the core of the plan is sustainable development and the increasing development of Turkey’s renewable energy sector.

  Turkey has also created and put in place several environmental strategy documents for sectors such as prevention and adaptation to climate change, conservation of biodiversity, soil erosion control, reforestation and fighting desertification.

  With respect to reviving degraded landscapes, Turkey is making extensive investments and pushing reforestation programs. A few years back, the International Soil Reference and Information Center mapped Turkish land degradation as a way to facilitate watershed rehabilitation investments.

Clean Technology in Turkey

  Over the past decade or so, changing factors within the international energy markets have compelled Turkey to reexamine how it generates and consumes electricity. The result was the creation of a national development plan that supports investment in the country’s renewable energy sector.

  Turkey's push to embrace renewable energy has been backed by the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), a billion-dollar program designed to give middle-income countries the resources to innovate and develop clean technology. Turkey was the first country to benefit from the fund.

A Clean Future?

  With the help of the CTF, Turkey appears to be leveraging investments as a springboard towards a clean future.

  Data shows Turkey has sufficient wind, water, and sun to research the potential of renewable energy, which is still in its infancy. As of 2012, wind power provides just 2 percent of Turkey’s energy, while geothermal makes up about 0.3 percent.

  However, maps made by the Turkish government show vast possibility for wind, geothermal, and solar energy. For instance, the wind map shows a power generating capacity of 48 GW. Turkey plans to scale up all of its renewable energy production to meet 30 percent of its energy needs by 2023.

  Furthermore, Turkey's Electricity Market and Security of Supply Strategy sets up an overall target of renewable energy supplying a minimum of 30 percent of overall energy produced by 2023. Of this renewable energy mix, wind power is projected to climb up to 20 GW.

  With all of this potential and the funds flowing in, Turkey appears to be poised for a clean technology revolution; maybe not tomorrow or within the next couple of years, but definitely in the coming decades.

By erdinc Can

Air and water Pollution In Turkey

What Can We Do to Help Reduce Air Pollution? 

* Conserve energy – remember to turn off lights, computers, and electric appliances when not in use. 
* Use energy efficient light bulbs and appliances. 
* Participate in your local utility’s energy conservation programs. 
* Limit driving by carpooling, using public transportation, biking and walking. 
* Combine errands for fewer trips. 
* Keep your automobile well tuned and maintained. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on routine maintenance, such as changing the oil and filters, and checking tire pressure and wheel alignment. 
* Avoid excessive idling of your automobile. 
* Use electric or hand-powered lawn care equipment. 
* Be careful not to spill gasoline when filling up your car or gasoline powered lawn and garden equipment. 
* Run dishwashers and clothes washers only when full. 
* Choose environmentally friendly cleaners. 
* Use water-based or solvent free paints whenever possible and buy products that say "low VOC". 
* Seal containers of household cleaners, workshop chemicals and solvents, and garden chemicals to prevent volatile organic compounds from evaporating into the air. 
* Purchase and use low-polluting outboard marine engines and personal watercraft (4-stroke and direct fuel injection 2-stroke outboard marine engines). 
* Advocate for emission reductions from power plants and more stringent national vehicle emission standards.

Summer temperatures have increased and are expected to continue to increase. Proposed new coal-fired power plants would increase Turkey's CO2 emissions. Turkey is working towards joining the European Union Emission Trading Scheme. 



Water 

Pollution 
Organic pollution of rivers is a problem.There is a potential for spills from the 5,000 oil- and gas-carrying ships that pass through the Bosporus annually. 

How to Prevent Water Pollution? 

* Conserve water by turning off the tap when running water is not necessary. This helps prevent water shortages and reduces the amount of contaminated water that needs treatment. 
* Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet. Don’t throw paints, oils or other forms of litter down the drain. 
* Use environmentally household products, such as washing powder, household cleaning agents and toiletries. 
* Take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilisers. This will prevent runoffs of the material into nearby water sources. 
* By having more plants in your garden you are preventing fertiliser, pesticides and contaminated water from running off into nearby water sources. 
Don’t throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean up any litter you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes, make sure it is safe to collect the litter and put it in a nearby dustbin. 








Drought 
Turkey does have sufficient water. Almost three quarters of water that is consumed is used for irrigation in agriculture.

By Buket Temel

Environmental threats and solutions in Turkey

Turkey: Environmental Issues 
Turkey's economic emergence has brought with it fears of increased environmental degradation. As Turkey's economy experienced high levels of growth in the mid-1990s, the country's boom in industrial production resulted in higher levels of pollution and greater risks to the country's environment. With domestic energy consumption on the rise, Turkey has been forced to import more oil and gas, and the resultant increase in oil tanker traffic in the Black Sea and Bosporus Straits has increased environmental threats there. 
With Turkey now a formal candidate for membership in the European Union, Turkey's environmental record will come under heavy scrutiny. In 1983, Turkey promulgated the country's overarching "Environmental Law," and a national Ministry of Environment was created in 1991. Turkey is building an extensive network of hydroelectric energy sources in the southeast part of the country, and cleaner-burning natural gas is moving to replace coal in power generation. 
The importance of strong environmental protection measures, as well as the fragility of Turkey's environment, was driven home recently by catastrophe that struck the Tisza and Danube rivers in southeast Europe. After a reservoir wall at a gold mine in Romania collapsed, cyanide-tainted water was dumped into the Tisza River, and the toxic spill killed thousands of fish in Hungary as it flowed downstream into the Danube. Although the spill was supposed to be diluted by the time it reached the Black Sea, and it was not expected to cause any damage there or in the Marmara Sea, Turkey took no chances, taking water samples in the Bosporus Straits to measure any effects from the toxic spill. 
Marine Pollution Although Turkey escaped the full brunt of the cyanide pollution from the Romanian mine accident, it has not been so fortunate with pollution from oil spills that have affected the shores of the Anatolian peninsula.
Increased shipping traffic through the narrow Bosporus Straits has heightened fears of a major accident that could have serious environmental consequences and endanger the health of the 12 million residents of Istanbul that live on either side of the Straits. 
The Straits--a 19-mile channel with 12 abrupt, angular windings--have witnessed an increase in shipping traffic since the end of the Cold War to the point that over 45,000 vessels per year (one every 12 minutes) now pass through them. This increased congestion has led to a growing number of accidents; between 1988 and 1992, there were 155 collisions in the Straits. 
With the high volume of oil being shipped through the Bosporus, oil tanker accidents can release large quantities of oil into the marine environment. This danger was underscored in March 1994, when the Greek Cypriot tanker Nassia collided with another ship, killing 30 seamen and spilling 20,000 tons of oil into the Straits. The resulting oil slick turned the waters of the Bosporus into a raging inferno for five days, but because the accident occurred in the Straits a few miles north of the city, a potential urban disaster was averted 
Carbon Emissions: Turkey's carbon emissions have risen in line with the country's energy consumption. Since 1980, Turkey's energy-related carbon emissions have jumped from 18 million metric tons annually to 47.1 million metric tons in 1998. Once again, while this is low compared to other IEA countries, the upward trend and the rate of increase are alarming. 
Turkey is not a party to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) or the Kyoto Protocol, meaning the country has no binding requirements to cut carbon emissions by the 2008-2012 period as most other IEA countries have. However, Turkey has established a National Climate Coordination Group (NCCG) to carry out the national studies in line with those conducted by all countries of the UNFCC. The Climate Coordination Group has published several influential findings, including the "National Report on the Protection of the Atmosphere and Climate Change" and a "National Report on Energy and Technology."
By Hakan Samat

Environmental Issues In Turkey and Solutions

More than four decades after the first Earth Day, there are still many environmental concerns for communities around the world to address; perhaps none so pressing as human-made climate change. But progress is being made, and it could be argued that awareness about environmental issues is at an all-time high. This Earth Day we're shining a light on the most pressing environmental concerns that affect us all, and showing what you can do to help restore ecological balance to this amazing place we call home. 


CLIMATE CHANGE 
While 97% of climate scientists agree that climate change is occurring and greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause, political will has not been strong enough so far to initiate a massive policy shift away from fossil fuels and toward sustainable forms of energy. Perhaps more extreme weather events such as droughts, wildfires, heat waves and flooding will convince the public to put more pressure on policymakers to act urgently to curb carbon emissions and address this issue before it’s too late. 
What You Can Do: Your home and transportation could be major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. A certified home energy audit can help make your home more energy efficient. If you commute via biking, walking or public 
transportation you are doing your part to fight global warming, but if you must own a motor vehicle, consider trading in your gas guzzler for a fuel efficient hybrid or better yet—go electric. When you fly, make sure to reduce your carbon footprint from air miles traveled with carbon offsets from a respected company such as Carbonfund.org. 

POLLUTION 
Air pollution and climate change are closely linked, as the same greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet are also creating smoggy conditions in major cities that endanger public health. Water and soil pollution might not get the media attention that air pollution does, but they are still important public health concerns. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, dirty water is the world’s biggest health risk. Soil pollution threatens food security and poses health risks to the local population. The use of pesticides and fertilizers are also major factors in soil pollution. 
What You Can Do: Many of the solutions to air pollution are similar to those for climate change, though it’s important to either make a concerted effort to drive less, or switch to a lower-emissions vehicle. Switching over to green energy is also important, as that will cut back on fossil fuel emissions. If you aren’t able to install solar or wind power on your property or if your utility gets its electricity from dirty energy sources, consider signing up for a renewable energy producer like Ethical Electric that connects consumers to 100% renewable energy sources to power their homes. 


DEFORESTATION 
Forests are important to mitigating climate change because they serve as “carbon sinks,” meaning that they absorb CO2 that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere and worsen global warming. It is estimated that 15% of total greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation. Cutting down trees also threatens animals and humans who rely on healthy forests to sustain themselves, and the loss of tropical rainforests is particularly concerning because around 80% of the world’s species reside in these areas. About 17% of the Amazon rainforest has been cut down in the past 50 years to make way for cattle ranching. That’s a double whammy for the climate because cattle flatulence is a major source of methane gas, which contributes more to short term climate change than carbon emissions. 
What You Can Do: You can support Rainforest Alliance and similar organizations, stop using paper towels and use washable cloths instead, use cloth shopping bags (instead of paper), and look at labels to make sure you only use FSC-certified wood and paper products. You can also boycott products made by palm oil companies that contribute to deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia. 

WATER SCARCITY 
As the population increases and climate change causes more droughts, water scarcity is becoming more of an issue. Only 3% of the world’s water is fresh water and 1.1 billion people lack access to clean, safe drinking water. As the current drought in California dramatically shows, access to water is not just an issue for developing countries but the United States as well. In fact, by the middle of this century more than a third of all counties in the lower 48 states will be at higher risk of water shortages with more than 400 of the 1,100 counties facing an extremely high risk. What You Can Do: Just as energy efficiency is considered an important solution to the issues of climate change and pollution, water efficiency can help us deal with water scarcity. Some ideas to be more water efficient include installing an ENERGY STAR-certified washer, using low-flow faucets, plugging up leaks, irrigating the lawn in the morning or evening when the cooler air causes less evaporation, taking shorter showers and not running sink water when brushing your teeth. Also, consider using non-toxic cleaning products and eco-friendly pesticides and herbicides that won’t contaminate groundwater. Seventh Generation uses plant-derived ingredients for their household cleaning products.
LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY 
Increasing human encroachment on wildlife habitats is causing a rapid loss of biodiversity that threatens food security, population health and world stability. Climate change is also a major contributor to biodiversity loss, as some species aren’t able to adapt to changing temperatures. According to the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Index, biodiversity has declined 27% in the last 35 years. What You Can Do: As consumers we can all help protect biodiversity by purchasing products that don’t harm the environment. Next time you are at the grocery store, check to see if food packaging contains any of the following eco-labels: USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified, Marine Stewardship Council or Green Seal. Other product certifications include Forest Stewardship Council Certification, Rainforest Alliance Certification and Certified Wildlife Friendly. Also, reusing, recycling and composting are easy ways to protect biodiversity. 

SOIL EROSION AND DEGRADATION 
Unsustainable industrial agriculture practices have resulted in soil erosion and degradation that leads to less arable land, clogged and polluted waterways, increased flooding and desertification. According to the World Wildlife Fund, half of the earth’s topsoil has been lost in the last 150 years. What You Can Do: Support sustainable agriculture that puts people and the planet above profit.
Show your support for sustainable agriculture by signing this Greenpeace campaign for “a global food system that feeds people, enables the small farmer to thrive, protects the soil, water and climate, and promotes biodiversity. This is a system free from genetic engineering and chemical-intensive agriculture.” On a smaller scale, you can make a difference in your backyard by switching to non-toxic green pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. The website Eartheasy.com sells natural lawn care products such as corn gluten organic fertilizer.
By Busenur Coskun